A Trained Brain; Lessons on Hearing Loss

As I was reading over the latest articles in hearing health care I came upon an old friend. The topic of auditory training. Auditory training is rarely brought up in audiology office and probably never discussed outside of audiology. But it is important for people with hearing loss to know that they can train their brain to hear and listen. Hearing is an act that we do passively; listening however is active. Our brain is always searching our world for sounds and allowing us to "hear". Whether or not we focus on the sounds is irrelevant. When the brain is scanned for neural responses to sound it reacts whether we attend to that sound or ignore it. Attending to and focusing on a sound will cause more parts of the brain to react and this is called "listening". Listening is a skill that we all have to work to keep sharp. People who have hearing loss often stop working at listening because it is too difficult and causes fatigue or frustration. Once hearing loss is evident, listening becomes even more critical. And the practice of listening skills becomes even more important.



When it comes to hearing loss and hearing aids, most hearing aid users would look to the device to make communication better. While hearing aids can improve hearing... they cannot improve listening.


The article I was reading quoted "Unfortunately, many of our patients want the device to do all the work for them, and are not willing to invest the time needed to develop the new skills that will improve their communicative abilities." And went on to say that audiologists are not interested in promoting a service that patients do not want and therefore it is largely under utilized. I am sad to say that I have the training, skills and tools to provide this service in my office and time and time again my patients refuse to make the time investment. So, currently I only recommend the treatment when problems arise when ideally this treatment would be part of the initial adaptation period for every new hearing aid user.


I hope for brighter days when "hearing aid consumers" act more like "patients of hearing health care." I do not know when or if this day will come but research in hearing science uncovers over and over again that hearing care is not a simple thing. My degree is a testament to this fact, as I spent 8 years in college devoted to the learning of audiology in completing three degrees and thousands of clinical hours with patients. Still I hear "consumer questions" instead of "health care questions" from my patients. Still I see people price checking for hearing care as if they were purchasing a new refrigerator instead of a life changing service.


I know that audiologist are underutilized and I understand how this came about but audiologists are the providers most specialized in hearing. I hope that some day "audiology" becomes a household name and people find their audiologist not through ads for hearing aids but through their primary care doctor or their insurance company or perhaps through the American Board of Audiology which records all audiologists who voluntary strive to a higher standard of care.


This blog gives an insight to my own personal and professional frustrations. I've been on both "sides of the fence" so to speak. I am a hard of hearing consumer and user of hearing aids (grew up with severe hearing loss) and I am an audiologist and doctor to the hearing impaired. The more I am educated about my field and the consumers I work with, the more I realize how under educated the public is and how much I desire to change this.


Please let me know what you think of this blog and share your feedback. Email me at DrYoder@hearwellcenter.com.

Other Resources:
LACE Aural Rehabilitiation Program, University of California at San Francisco http://www.neurotone.com/lace/

HEARING SOLUTIONS- Auditory Rehabilitation, Patricia McCarthy, Ph.D. & Ross J. Roeser, Ph.D. - Better Hearing Institute www.betterhearing.org/hearing_solutions/audioRehabilitation.cfm

Self-auditory rehabilitation materials, (intended for cochlear implant users), Cochlear Americas http://www.cochlearamericas.com/Support/367.asp

This blog posted by Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology and owner of HearWell Center. Please visit our website for more information http://www.hearwellcenter.com/

Fall Weather and Hearing Awareness

"Fall weather and hearing awareness." Sounds like a strange combination of words doesn't it? I'd like to tell you how these two things are related.

This past October I celebrated Protect Your Hearing Month. In particular I focused on hearing protection and provided seminars to my community about proper hearing protection techniques. Dangerous loudness levels affect more people than you may realize. Each year thousands of hunters and recreational shooters suffer hearing damage when they enter the forests and firing ranges. Many musicians unknowingly harm their hearing with long term exposure to loud music. Industrial workers, farmers, and even dentists find their occupations a hazard to their hearing health. Many things in our everyday environment have been shown to effect our hearing such as music earphones, lawn care equipment, and home improvement tools. The good news is this type of hearing loss can be prevented.

Hearing protection is relatively inexpensive and is proven to do the job. I've found the best protection is a pair of foam plugs under earmuffs; I call this "double protecting". This is especially important for shooters. Those that need special hearing protection to allow for music appreciation or communication can find custom earmolds with filters that will do the job. They cost more, but the investment in better hearing usually outweighs that initial expense. I like the custom molds made by Westone or Microsonic. (check their websites for more information http://www.westone.com/ or http://www.earmolds.com/) Musicians typically need more customization than any other occupation requiring hearing protection. Their hearing protection options are outlined nicely by Westone's Music Division (also found at http://www.westone.com/). As an audiologist part of my job is to identify my patients that are at risk for noise induced hearing loss and recommend hearing protection that will meet their needs. Unfortunately many people do not think about hearing protection until they already have hearing problems.

Hearing loss occurs in 1 of every 10 people. Many people do not realize they have hearing loss and need help recognizing the signs. Most hearing loss is treatable either medically or with technology. Although hearing is an important sense that keeps us feeling connected to the world most people do not have yearly screenings. Consider having your hearing checked this fall.

This month, November, I am celebrating Assistive Technology Month. My focus is on assistive devices for those with hearing loss and I have been scheduling demonstrations of the devices. My next demonstration is November 5, 2009 at the Three Rivers Center for Assistive Technology in Pittsburgh, PA. [the public is welcome please email me for more information at DrYoder@hearwellcenter.com]

Assistive devices can help bridge the gap for people who struggle with the phone, television, doorbells and more because of a deficit in their hearing. There are many choices in assistive technology and it is often difficult to know which is right for you. Some devices are designed to be used in conjunction with hearing aids or cochlear implants while others are meant for use without hearing aids. Proper selection of assistive devices can improve quality of life, increase job performance, improve confidence in communication, maintain independence, ensure safety and reconnected with family and friends.

I like this focus because I use assistive devices all the time. Being severely hard of hearing I need to have devices that will wake me when I'm sleeping for alarms, phone calls, doorbells and smoke detectors. I also need to have extra amplification for hearing on the phone and for listening to my shows on television. Although I have hearing aids that I am dearly grateful for, they cannot accomplish all the things that assistive devices can. The gap is bridged for me and because of this I am fully independent and well adjusted despite my lack of hearing.

So, now you know what Fall Weather and Hearing Awareness is all about. I encourage your comments so please email me at DrYoder@hearwellcenter.com.

Hearing Protection Resources:
NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise/

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/noise.asp

American Academy of Audiology: Keeping the Sound Down: Educational Campaign Launched to Prevent Hearing Loss http://www.turnittotheleft.com/news/keymessagesandfacts.htm

Assistive Technology Resources:
U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): Disability.gov http://www.disability.gov/education/assistive_technology

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): Assistive Technology http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm

This blog posted by Suzanne Yoder, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology and owner of HearWell Center. Please visit our website for more information http://www.hearwellcenter.com/